Climb your ladder to growth and success by equipping yourself with the knowledge and skills to get there. When she was in college, April Yeager tried a co-op program, was eventually offered a position in a product development lab, and never would have guessed that she would be retiring 30 years later with the same company. She climbed up the corporate ladder through different opportunities that enabled her to gain a deeper understanding of business and personal growth. Now she is the Senior Vice...
Mar 08, 2022•22 min•Ep. 41
Locus Performance Ingredients produces high-quality biosurfactants. Learn how they combine innovation and collaboration to lead the way. Victoria Meyer interviews CEO Tim Staub about the company and his vision. Tim shares his insights on the need to innovate and why collaboration is for winners in the chemical industry. Tune in for a great look at the industry on how to focus on teamwork and how a customer-oriented approach leads to great results. This episode is sponsored by Palmer Holland . Lo...
Mar 01, 2022•33 min•Ep. 40
How do you manage crisis communications in your business? Victoria Meyer presents Gerard Braud , the founder and CEO of SituationHub . Gerard explains that the goal in crisis communications is to gather information fast, confirm that information, and turn that information into a statement to your stakeholders. It’s best to prioritize reporting to your employees. Why? Because if you don’t, they may spread rumors and damage the company’s reputation. Proactively answer questions before they are ask...
Feb 22, 2022•43 min•Ep. 39
Great customer experience is one of the building blocks for success. If you plan for the long term, having a solid customer experience system is a must. Victoria Meyer dives into the subject with the founder of Watermark Consulting , Jon Picoult . Jon looks at the mechanics of customer loyalty and why what you do for them matters. We take an in-depth view of the importance of the customer experience and what you can do to enhance it. Learn more about the ins and outs of business and building a r...
Feb 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 38
Chemical Trading is one of the less typical careers one goes into. Not everyone has the superficial idea or the intensive knack for navigating through the complicated chemical sourcing and distribution system. However, experienced entrepreneur, Austin Britts , has been in the business for years, establishing several successful start-ups spanning from CPG brands to technology companies. Austin continues to thrive in the field by offering access to more opportunities and creating growth potential ...
Feb 08, 2022•39 min•Ep. 37
China dominates global demand and is the largest importer of chemicals and polymers, so any initiative it takes affects the global market. In this episode, John Richardson , a Senior Consultant at ICIS, talks about the biggest contributor to the chemicals market in detail. John focuses on the polypropylene and polyethylene markets. These chemicals are primarily used for packaging, including plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, and containers. Due to issues with carbon emissions, China incr...
Feb 01, 2022•29 min•Ep. 36
Writing for a magazine that revolves around the chemical industry can be tricky. As a chemical business reporter, you need to be able to talk to the right people and get the right stories. You also need to remember that you're writing for the readers. Join Victoria Meyer and her guest, Craig Bettenhausen , as they talk about the chemical industry from a writer's perspective. Craig is a business reporter at Chemical & Engineering News . He covers specialty chemicals, carbon capture, industria...
Jan 25, 2022•23 min•Ep. 35
Just when we thought there could be nothing more in store than 2020, along came 2021. The year brought business challenges ranging from cyber-attacks to weather events to a continuation of the pandemic. Carpenter Co. is not an exception, having been a target of a hacking attack that almost disrupted their business. But rather than letting the challenges sweep them away, they have managed to become stronger than ever. Its CEO, Brad Beauchamp , is back on the show to share with us how they took on...
Jan 18, 2022•45 min•Ep. 34
The demand for everything chemical recovers quickly. The 2022 chemical investment outlook is promising. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Trey Hamblet , the VP of Chemicals Research for Industrial Info Resources . Trey talks with Victoria about insights and predictions on how chemical investments will fare in 2022. The best course of action is to tackle key investments that increase profitability. So far, logical constraints don’t hold back chemical investments, and technologies are deve...
Jan 11, 2022•29 min•Ep. 33
For The Chemical Show's last episode of 2021, Victoria Meyer looks back on the most significant events of the year for the chemical industry. From the newest policies implemented, the disasters that shook the world, and the issues that made everyone rethink, she goes through them all. Victoria also highlights one event that contributes to the progress of the chemical industry and also very close to her heart. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/...
Dec 28, 2021•13 min•Ep. 32
When the Toxic Substances Control Act was updated in 2016, EPA gained authority to require chemical manufacturers and industries to submit reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements. Since this changed the way chemicals are developed, produced, and distributed, understanding TSCA is a must to remain compliant. Victoria Meyer explores this topic further with a certified TSCA expert, Lynn L. Bergeson . She is Managing Partner at Bergerson & Campbell PC and Host of All Things Chemical®...
Dec 14, 2021•29 min•Ep. 31
Pactiv Evergreen is one of North America’s largest fresh food and beverage packaging suppliers, a global leader in paper packaging solutions. Joining Victoria Meyer in this episode is Emelia Nosser , Chief Procurement Officer for the company. Emelia shares how Pactiv Evergreen stands out from the rest and how they’ve thrived throughout the challenges brought on by the pandemic in the last couple of years. She underscores their move towards sustainability and digitization to adapt to the needs of...
Nov 30, 2021•17 min•Ep. 30
The COVID pandemic hit many industries hard, including the chemical industry. It is now adapting, with many companies facing the changes that lie ahead. In this episode, Victoria Meyer discusses how the pandemic has reshaped the chemical industry with Zeochem LLC ’s Global Business Director for Chemicals and Energy, Patty Summers . Patty and Victoria analyze the changes in the industry and how they have adapted, and we hear their exciting views on the future. Learn more about how the chemical in...
Nov 16, 2021•19 min•Ep. 29
We hear the term customer experience all the time. But what does it mean, and how far does it stretch? In this episode, Victoria Meyer defines customer experience and its role in creating value to grow your business. A transformation in the chemical industry is here, driven by the needs that surfaced during the pandemic. It’s now up to businesses to find what differentiates them and to attract customers by crafting an experience like no other. Tune in to learn more about how you can be deliberat...
Nov 02, 2021•24 min•Ep. 28
Digital Technology has not yet found its way into the chemical industry on a broad scale. Victoria Meyer’s guest today, Sebastian Brenner , explains why that needs to change. Sebastian is the Managing Director of CheMondis , the leading digital marketplace for chemicals in Europe, with over 7,000 companies participating. Join the conversation as Sebastian discusses how digital technology handles repetitive ordering, freeing up time for people to engage in more critical tasks. Despite the massive...
Oct 19, 2021•24 min•Ep. 27
The pandemic brought many challenges to smaller businesses and chemical distributors. Learn how Eric Byer , President and CEO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD), led the association and supported the chemical distribution industry, including many small, family-owned businesses, during the ups-and-downs of 2020 and 2021. Join your host Victoria Meyer and her guest Eric Byer as they discuss the pandemic, its effect on small business, the vital part that chemical distributi...
Oct 12, 2021•25 min•Ep. 26
Do you understand how investment banks can help chemicals companies grow? Chris Mudd , the Managing Director at Chiron Financial LLC , shares why as he joins host Victoria Meyer in this episode. Chris uncovers the mystery of investment banking and shows the many things they offer to help those in the industry. From raising capital to M&A support to advisory services, he tells us the key distinctions that separate investment banks from the rest. Follow along to this conversation to understand...
Oct 05, 2021•25 min•Ep. 25
With Hurricane Ida gone and the unpredictability of the weather, many people are wondering what effects hurricanes have on the chemical industry. What impacts did it have on the feedstocks, exports, and chemical workers? Join your host Victoria Meyer and her guest John Stekla on how Hurricane Ida changed the petrochemical chemical industry and how it will recover. John is a petrochemicals industry expert, with 30+ years of experience. He is also the director at PERIN Resources . Listen in on tod...
Sep 21, 2021•28 min•Ep. 24
Due to the pandemic and many natural disasters in 2020-21, today's volatile markets provided a considerable amount of challenge to Leo Maguchi and his company. But even with this rocky situation, the demand is not going anywhere and must be addressed. Leo joins Victoria Meyer to share his work at ITOCHU, a leading distributor and marketer of inorganic, organic, functional and specialty chemicals. He explains how they operate amid the COVID-19 scare, freight rate increases, and tons of regional s...
Sep 14, 2021•37 min•Ep. 23
Do you see what influence one has on the market? It's important to understand different markets so you could get informed about the demand. Victoria Meyer sits down for a conversation with John Richardson about strategies to enable companies to be headed in the right direction. John Richardson is a Senior Consultant at ICIS . John focuses on the polyolefins markets (polypropylene, polyethylene) in China, Asia and Europe. He shares the objective analysis you need to manage your business in today’...
Sep 07, 2021•43 min•Ep. 22
Some of the most successful companies always put their customers first. That is why, if you want to emulate their success, the first thing you need to do is focus on taking care of your customers and your people. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Megan E. Gluth-Bohan , the CEO and Founder of TRInternational . Megan shares with Victoria how the huge success of TRInternational leans heavily on standing relationships. After all, the most successful companies are those that are led by people...
Aug 31, 2021•29 min•Ep. 21
Did you know that the average age of a professional driver in the US has been growing steadily? This is not a good sign because this can lead to disruption, especially in the chemical industry. Considered as the backbone of a lot of industries, drivers deserve respect and proper pay. To learn more about the freight and transportation industry, join Victoria Meyer and her guest, Brain Fielkow . Brian is the CEO of Jetco Delivery where they provide a wide array of logistics and transportation serv...
Aug 17, 2021•25 min•Ep. 20
The chemical industry is a male-dominated space, but women are making inroads in it. Our guests created Women In Chemicals , a non-profit designed to help women create and identify opportunities in the industry. Victoria Meyer discusses things with Amelia Greene , Global Product Manager at Wego Chemical Group, and Kylie Wittl , Strategic Sourcing at 3M. They talk about their goals in founding Women in Chemicals and give their insights on the role of women in the industry. Tune in and hear more o...
Aug 10, 2021•23 min•Ep. 19
Digital is all around us.The onset of the pandemic only accelerated the expansion and progress of digitization in almost every industry years ahead. Still, not all of them are making the most out of it just yet. The chemical industry’s love-hate relationship with digitization is founded on its belief in human-to-human interaction. However, we shouldn’t let that hold us back from the innovations that only aim to improve business processes and outcomes. In this episode, your host Victoria Meyer sh...
Aug 03, 2021•22 min•Ep. 18
In this short episode, Victoria Meyer zooms in on three big key trends on sustainability and highlights the importance of owning the narrative. The chemical industry already has made tremendous progress toward sustainability and circularity, and contirubtes in many ways toward a healthier and greener environment. Yet, we are allowing less-informed groups to own the narrative about sustainability in chemicals and plastics. The industry needs to be more transparent with our processes to showcase h...
Jul 27, 2021•13 min•Ep. 17
Pivoting a family-owned business during a pandemic is challenging. The key is to maintain a free-form culture of growth where everyone wins. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is Cameron Whaley , President of Southern Chemical & Textiles . Cameron shares with Victoria how the company thrives on taking great care of its people. Make the best opportunities available so everyone succeeds. Tune in! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://www.thechemicalshow.com/...
Jul 20, 2021•28 min•Ep. 16
Coming up with a business sustainability report is an important thing in any team's growth and planning. What can you do to streamline this process and make it better? Jennifer Sadenwater presents the solution through ESGLynk . Joining Victoria Meyer, she explains how they connect people with the value that matters in three important points: environmental, social, and governance. Together, they talk about which industries can benefit the most from this strategy, its impact on investing, and the ...
Jul 13, 2021•21 min•Ep. 15
The key to establishing and achieving your business goal is to know your intellectual property strategy. However, many business leaders don’t understand concepts of intellectual property, trademarks, and patents. Victoria Meyer’s guest in this episode is James Drake , a patent attorney and the Managing Counsel of Drake & Associates . James discusses what intellectual property is and how you can use it to achieve your business goal. Tune in and listen to this conversion to learn more about wh...
Jul 06, 2021•25 min•Ep. 14
Every day, it seems that more and more things are coming out of the chemical industry. One such innovation is the development of a bio-based polymer, the functionality of which seems endless. On today’s show, Victoria Meyer interviews Michael Suver , the EVP of Integrity BioChem . Michael has over 25 years of experience at a couple of innovative companies including Integrity BioChem. He shares how this bio-based polymer the company developed fulfills a need in the oil fields, especially in indus...
Jun 29, 2021•21 min•Ep. 13
NUCO Logistics is an international logistics, freight forwarding, and NVOCC company. Victoria Meyer's guest today is its CEO Noushin Shamsili to discuss how NUCO Logistics pivoted during the pandemic. On the one hand, the demand during COVID has increased tremendously. On the other, many steamship lines canceled their sailings to make sure that they would reduce their losses. What Noushin did was to pull strings through all contacts throughout the world to form a plan B. Learn more about what th...
Jun 22, 2021•25 min•Ep. 12
